GRID-Arendal at COP29

GRID-Arendal is at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to highlight the link between plastic and climate change and advocate for glaciers. There are significant gaps in tracking plastic emissions in the current UN framework. We aim to align plastic pollution efforts with climate goals by improving industry transparency and strengthening national climate commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions/NDCs).

Is this your first COP?

Yes, this is the first time I will travel to the COP UNCCC so I am very excited about it. 

What do you hope will be the outcome of this COP:

That we come to an agreement and the financing of the loss and damage, this is one of the biggest tasks at the moment. And the negotiations has begun last year and I hope they will be able to conclude this 

What will be your role at COP:

I was invited by UNESCO to talk about glaciers. Next year is the international year of glacier preservation, and we need to tell the world about the reasons why they should be persevered and how those are the witnesses for the climate change and the global warming. It is very important for that. We also launch the decade of cryospheric sciences which will go up to the year 2034. 

What do you feel will be a successful outcome of this COP:

Having a good document, mostly on the negotiations there. But what I expect on GRID-Arendals side is to make sure the mountains are put to a high level in the international agenda. I am very much looking forward to discussions on that and maybe future projects.

Meet Natalia!

Is this your first COP?

Yes

What do you expect? 

I expect a lot of new connections and but I also hope that we will manage to bring the topic plastics and climate change and shine a light on the gaps. 

What would be a great outcome for this COP from your perspective? 

I think it’s a smooth transition to the next COP. 

What are you really excited about for this COP?

I am really excited to bring two of our events to COP. 

What events are you participating in yourself? 

I’m participating on the one event where we’ll be taking about the climate impacts of plastic. 

Why should we care about the climate impacts of plastics? 

Science says that plastics is one of the contributors to climate change and unfortunately it hasn’t been approached that way, while the industry is growing. So it is time to talk about it and take some action.

Is this your first COP?

Yes, it is my first climate COP and I’m very much looking forward to attending.

What are you expecting?

First of all we are expecting to bring the plastics climate topic to this COP. There is not so much awareness about this topic, but in fact nearly all plastics are made from fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil and natural gas, so it is very relevant to the Climate forum.

What will be a successful outcome for you?

My successful outcome is of the course two side events that we are organising. One side event is about climate change, plastics and innovation, which will take place in the Nordic Pavilion on 16th of November. The second is addressing plastic gaps in NDC 3.0, on 20th of November in the Zimbabwean Pavilion.

Why is this COP important?

We believe that the current reporting tools such as Nationally Determined Contribution, can be used to address plastic gaps in the reporting and accountability.

What is the link between plastic and the climate?

So nearly all plastics are derived from fossil fuel, such as crude oil natural gas and coal, in addition plastic production is energy intense process, it requires significant amount of energy for heat and electricity and for this we also need fossil fuels so all this makes a very significant input to the to the greenhouse gas emissions.

What do you hope will come out of this COP? 

This COP should be a tipping point for integrating nature-based solutions and biodiversity into the global climate framework. It is clear there is momentum to achieve this in the lead up to COP30 in Brazil. However, the foundation of this work begins in earnest at COP29.

My greatest hope is to see enhanced financial commitments toward impactful, scalable projects in vulnerable regions, in a way that does not make them even more heavily indebted. Lastly, after 3 years of working on Article 6 as a negotiator, it must be implemented in a transparent, inclusive manner that enables fair and accountable climate action through cooperative approaches. 

We need commitments that translate directly into action, where pledges become projects, and where climate and biodiversity agendas are seamlessly aligned.

What will be your role at COP? 

Four words: Funding Nature, Fuelling Impact. I’ll be championing sustainable nature finance mechanisms that integrate nature into our climate solutions, specifically through the integrity of Article 6 negotiations and the advancement of nature. I’ll be advocating for nature to be recognised as our greatest asset, and essential to addressing the climate crisis. This means ensuring natural ecosystems are not just conserved but valued within global financing mechanisms. I’ll work with stakeholders from Africa and around the world to embed these principles into sustainable finance, ensuring that investment flows support the full scope of nature’s value, driving both economic and environmental resilience.

What do you think are the most pressing issues that will be discussed?

This COP will address several urgent issues: financing climate action, particularly for countries most vulnerable to climate change and in the face of macroeconomic barriers; creating a transparent and equitable carbon market under Article 6; and the role of the next cycle of NDCs in addressing our most pressing climate challenges. The climate-health nexus, plastic pollution, and the urgency of nature-based solutions are also gaining prominence. Each of these areas is vital to ensuring that global climate action is both holistic and impactful.

What are the dangers we hope to avoid will happen in negotiations? 

One of the greatest dangers is that the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance falls short due to global political dynamics, risking non-materialisation of essential commitments. These negotiations don’t occur in isolation, they’re deeply influenced by the global landscape, including economic pressures and geopolitical tensions. We’re at risk if climate finance commitments are diluted, overly reliant on complex private sector mechanisms, or sidetracked by debates over who should contribute.

There’s also a real danger in Article 6 negotiations if standards for integrity and accountability are compromised. Without stringent measures to value and protect nature within carbon markets, we risk seeing nature-based credits that lack real environmental benefit, undermining the credibility of these markets and failing to deliver genuine carbon reductions. The NCQG should be structured to genuinely meet the priorities of developing countries, ensuring the finance they receive is not only predictable but also concessional and grants-based rather than debt-heavy.

Lastly, we want to avoid a fragmented outcome that leaves gaps in finance for adaptation, loss, and damage, which are crucial for vulnerable communities. If the NCQG remains ambiguous or is perceived as unrealistic, it could erode trust and reduce the political will needed to drive effective climate action.

How do you think civil society that is not physically attending COP can best contribute to put pressure on politicians? 

Civil society is the driving force for progress and accountability in the climate agenda. Even from afar, they lead powerful movements by leveraging the digital world we live in to amplify their voices and demands, holding politicians directly accountable, and ensuring every commitment is transparent. CSOs and community leaders can also distil key takeaways from COP, creating accessible insights for their communities and mobilising local action. In this way, civil society doesn’t just add pressure, they become the architects of accountability, sustaining momentum and making it difficult for leaders to step back from the commitments that our world needs.